Barcelona Interactive Spanish Cooking Class: Make Paella & Tapas

You walk through La Boqueria market first, then cook the meal you'll eat.

An interactive Spanish cooking class in Barcelona where you visit La Boqueria market with a local chef, then prepare traditional paella, tapas and sangria together over three hours. The class includes your chef's recipes and local cooking tips to take home; a vegetarian option is available if you request it at booking. On Sundays and national holidays, the market visit is replaced with ingredients sourced in advance since La Boqueria is closed.

The Experience

La Boqueria market is where the class starts. You'll walk through with your chef, picking out the fresh seafood, ham, cheese and produce that will become your lunch. This isn't a tour of the stalls—it's a shopping trip with someone who knows what to look for and why each ingredient matters. After the market, you move to the kitchen space where the real work begins.

The chef leads you through making three dishes: a traditional seafood paella, Spanish tapas (pinchos made with local ham and cheese), and sangria. You're not watching a demonstration—you're doing the cooking, hands-on, with the chef guiding you through technique and timing. The class runs about three hours total, which gives you time to actually learn the steps instead of rushing through them. At the end, you sit down together and eat what you've made, which tastes different when you built it yourself.

You leave with written recipes from your chef and tips on Spanish cooking and dining that go beyond what you'd find in a cookbook. If you have dietary restrictions or want a vegetarian version, let the operator know when you book and they'll adjust the menu.

What’s included

• Market visit to La Boqueria (subject to opening times).
• interactive paella, tapas and sangria making workshop.
• the meal you prepare.
• your chef's recipes and local cooking tips.
• live instruction in English from a local chef.

Good to know

Stroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Travel Brilliant

Is this one for you?You do the cooking yourself under the chef's guidance, which means you leave knowing how to make these dishes, not just having watched them made. This works best if you want hands-on instruction and time to actually learn technique, rather than a quick demo followed by eating.

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Top questions

What exactly do I cook in this Barcelona cooking class?

You prepare a traditional seafood paella, Spanish tapas (pinchos made with local ham and cheese), and sangria. All three are made from ingredients you select at La Boqueria market at the start of the class.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

No prior experience is required. The chef leads you through each step of making the paella, tapas and sangria, so the class works for complete beginners and people who cook at home regularly.

What happens if La Boqueria market is closed when I want to book?

On Sundays and national holidays, La Boqueria is closed, so the chef sources the fresh ingredients in advance and the class moves straight to the kitchen. You still cook the same dishes; the market visit is replaced.

Is sangria included, and can I drink it if I'm under 18?

Sangria is included in the class and in the meal you share at the end. The minimum drinking age is 18 years; non-alcoholic options can be arranged if needed.

Can I take the recipes home with me?

Yes. Your chef provides written recipes and local Spanish cooking and dining tips that you take with you, so you can recreate the dishes at home.